Tablets have the potential to significantly increase efficiency in the defence space. Mission planning, logistics, training, medical care and in-the-field communications can all be optimised by introducing the right mobile device for the job.
But how do you match a military tablet with a defence forces role? Getting this right is crucial if your deployment of technology is going to be effective and provide a return on investment.
Nuffield Technologies works closely with defence forces in hardware procurement and software development. In this post, we’ll give you insights into how we help military procurement make the right decisions for their teams.
The two things to consider in a military tablet
When choosing a fleet of tablet devices, you’ll largely be thinking about:
- Tablet model
- Software
While there is a great deal of overlap between these two areas in terms of making a good choice, for clarity we’ll look at them in turn.
1) Choosing the right model
When working with a client, our starting point is to closely analyse personnel workflows. For instance, we will speak to people in logistics, engineering or frontline battle roles to develop a deep understanding of the challenges of the role, the technology currently being used and processes.
One feature applies to every tablet we recommend. Durability. It’s essential in commercial environments – and even more so in military scenarios – that the device is rugged. At the broadest level, this means it will meet MIL-STD 810G drop test recommendations and IP (ingress protection) 65 or above.
You can find out more about what makes a tablet truly rugged here.
With ruggedness as a starting point, we’ll then investigate a job role in detail and match a tablet’s specs with the workflow. To illustrate the sheer range and versatility of tablets available, we’ll look at hypothetical scenarios for two military roles.
Scenario: equipment maintenance
The challenge:
In this scenario, mechanics will be repairing and maintaining equipment and vehicles at locations across the globe. It is imperative that they have access to repair manuals, and maintenance and health and safety guidelines while undertaking their work. These materials should be viewable on a large, bright screen. Work will be conducted both indoors and outdoors in varying light conditions and temperatures, and rain, grease and dust may all be present to some extent. Tablets used in equipment maintenance may be set down roughly, or even dropped when negotiating tight spaces.
The solution:
We recommend a thin, light tablet with a strong rugged profile. The Zebra ET401 Enterprise Tablet includes an IP68 ingress protection rating. It is completely protected against dust and submersion in water, you can use it in the rain, accidentally drop it in a puddle and even spray it with a hose. Meanwhile, its MIL-STD-810H specification will survive drops to concrete, and toughened Gorilla Glass 5 offers advanced scratch-and-shatter protection. It can also be used inside and outside – even in extreme heat or subzero temperatures.
Manuals can be read clearly on the 10in display (in the larger model) and the AI-enabled touchscreen and advanced sensing technology make for seamless data entry with a bare or gloved finger – without needing to choose or change touch mode settings. Fast wireless connectivity, including Wi-Fi 7, 5G and Bluetooth 6, ensures documents can be quickly downloaded in the field if necessary. A second hot-swappable battery option provides lengthy battery life and devices can also draw power from an external source via USB-C.
Finally, the Qualcomm Dragonwing Q-6690 processor enables embedded AI-enhanced features and supports modern, cloud-based AI applications – it’s going to be as fast as you’ll need it to be in extreme environments.
Scenario: battlefield operations
The challenge:
In this second scenario, personnel endure the toughest environments for long periods of time where heat, cold, dust and glare are commonplace. They will need to set down tablets quickly and may be wearing gloves. Devices are used in a variety of environments, including battlefield vehicles such as armoured carriers and helicopters, as well as on the ground.
The solution:
As Zebra’s own literature states, the ET6X series offers the attractiveness of a consumer device, but is ‘built like a tank’. This eye-catching bit of marketing speak is firmly backed up by a tablet that has survived a battery of real-world tests to prove its durability. This MIL-STD-810H, IP66 device has been drop-tested on concrete, built for the freezer and blazing heat, and is dustproof and corrosion-proof. The sealing is so reassuringly reliable, you can simply hose the machine off when it’s dirty. The ET6X has also been stress-tested for punishing vibration, so it’s going to handle that heavy pounding in vehicles and helicopters. The sharp 10.1in display is super bright at 1000 nits and you can input with your fingers, with gloves on, or a stylus.
When you dig deeper into the specifications, you’ll discover the device offers many hardworking and versatile features perfect for long deployments in tough military environments. Accessories such as vehicle docks turn it into a vehicle-mounted computer, and a 2-in-1 laptop functionality means it can handle both grab-and-go scenarios and heavier data entry. Batteries are swoppable and available in extended varieties for long life on a single charge; you can also power the device from the vehicle if required.
The powerful Qualcomm 6490 octa-core 2.7 GHz platform supports fast wireless networks as well as AI and machine learning, which means this machine will comfortably support new apps as they emerge. The ET60 and ET65 devices support 5G and Wi-Fi 6E, and Bluetooth 5.2. The ET65 also supports 4G and 5G mobile connectivity, and GPS – this extra connectivity is the only difference between the machines.
A note on backward and forward compatibility
Will new devices work alongside older devices, or with older cradles and charging points? And will new add-ons such as scanners work with older devices?
Ensuring a supplier offers backward and forward compatibility between its devices and add ons will help ensure you are not constantly spending more replacing incompatible technology with newer versions.
2) Choosing the right military tablet operating system
For most mobile devices, the choice of operating system will be iOS, Windows or Android.
We strongly favour and recommend Android in a military environment. There are many strong reasons to choose this OS, which we’ve discussed in this military operating system article. However, by far the most important consideration is a fundamental difference between the two operating systems.
iOS is a closed operating system. This means it is not configurable by third parties.
Android is an open operating system. This means third parties can adapt the OS to meet the needs of different sectors. This adaptability could help a device meet mandatory requirements in the defence sector, particularly with regards to security.
Here’s some strong reasons – all related to open source – we think you should choose Android.
Rugged availability
Because Android is available to hundreds of manufacturers, procurers can choose from a huge variety of enterprise rugged tablets. This means it is possible to meet very specific requirements, as we illustrated in our hypothetical scenarios above.
iOS, however, is only available on Apple products; and Apple does not make rugged devices.
Military spec customisation
Making use of Android’s open source format, Nuffield Technologies’ ASP (Android Secure platform) offers a series of Android-customised features suitable for military environments. These include:
- USB data transfer to manage Android smartphones and tablets that are permanently disconnected from any network. (This can be particularly valuable in those sensitive defence spaces disconnected from any wireless network)
- Enhanced security authentication and hardened OS security
- Industry standard AES-256 data encryption
- Multi-user setup, so managers can safely share devices between different users
- Rapid mass provisioning – setting up and rolling out device features centrally, with minimal user interaction required
While iOS does now offer some level of device-by-device customisation, it cannot respond to unique requirements to anywhere near the same degree.
Enhanced security
Because Android is open source, manufacturers can continue adding security patches for years after Apple will support a device.
For instance, support is available to Apple devices for five to six years before the OS stops receiving updates.
However, rugged manufacturers such as Zebra can provide support for up to 10 years for its devices. It delivers the regular OS updates needed to repel threats and gives users control over how and when to update or migrate to new versions of the OS.
Since it is impossible to use an unsupported device in military environments, this ongoing support will keep devices working for longer and provide greater value for money.
Military tablet specifications: why consultancy is key
In specialised military scenarios with mandatory requirements, consultancy is vital.
An experienced consultant will match hardware exactly to the job specification. Meanwhile, software developers can tailor an operating system – invariably Android – to ensure it provides maximum security and longevity, and the bespoke features required to help personnel work better and faster.
Nuffield Technologies works in partnership with defence organisations to provide perfect-fit rugged tablets and accompanying OS software.
We are accredited with JOSCAR, the highly respected supplier evaluation system for the aerospace, defence and security sectors.